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APRIL 2012 Teach for Australia Pathway: Evaluation Report Phase

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APRIL 2012 Teach for Australia Pathway: Evaluation Report Phase Teach for Australia Pathway: Evaluation Report Phase 2 of 3 Submitted to DEEWR – Pathways into Teaching Section, Quality Teaching Branch Paul Weldon Phillip McKenzie Elizabeth Kleinhenz Kate Reid Australian Council for Educational Research Private Bag 55 Camberwell Vic 3124 Ph 03 9277 5555 Direct 03 9277 5535 Em [email protected] ACN: 004 398 145; ABN: 19 004 398 145 APRIL 2012 Acknowledgements This evaluation was commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). ACER gratefully acknowledges the assistance and support of DEEWR in conducting the evaluation, in particular the contributions of Cary Duffy, Sally Oatey, Fran Grimwood and Ruth Terracini. The assistance of staff from Teach For Australia, the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the ACT Department of Education and Training, and the Victorian Institute of Teaching was greatly appreciated, particularly for the ongoing provision of program documentation and the willingness of all involved to talk about their perceptions and experiences. Particular appreciation is due to the Associates, their in-school Mentors and school principals from all participating schools, who made time to talk to us frankly about their experiences. We are also grateful for the participation of other school staff members and students of the schools we visited, and especially the in-school coordinators, who took the time to organise the schedule of interviews and focus groups and who helped to make our time in schools enjoyable and productive. Thanks are also due to our ACER colleagues who spent time in the field and made an important contribution to this report: Sarah Buckley, Gerry White and Jenny Wilkinson, and to our former colleagues for their leadership and groundwork in the first year: Stephen Dinham and Catherine Scott. The views expressed in the report are based on the contribution of all stakeholder groups and individuals but remain the responsibility of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of DEEWR or any individual or organisation involved in the evaluation. ii Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... ii Contents ................................................................................................................................ iii Tables .................................................................................................................................... v Acronyms ............................................................................................................................. vi Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. vii Structure of the report .......................................................................................................... ix Part 1. Setting the scene ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1. Structure of the report ............................................................................................ 1 1.2 The Teach for Australia Pathway .............................................................................. 2 1.2.1. TFA Pathway Objectives ....................................................................................... 3 1.2.2. Teach for Australia: Key Features.......................................................................... 4 1.3 Evaluation methodology ............................................................................................ 8 Part 2. Perceptions and experience of the TFA Pathway .................................................... 12 2.1 Participating in the new pathway ............................................................................ 12 2.1.1. Shaping the program and working together ......................................................... 12 2.1.2. Reasons for getting involved ................................................................................ 12 2.1.3. Becoming a Placement School: The schools‟ experience .................................... 15 2.2 Recruitment of Associates ....................................................................................... 15 2.3 Associate preparation and education ....................................................................... 18 2.3.1. The Initial Intensive ............................................................................................. 19 2.3.2. New to the Initial Intensive for Cohort 2: the Summer School ............................ 20 2.3.3. Preparation for the classroom ............................................................................... 21 2.3.4. The Mid-Year Intensive ....................................................................................... 22 2.3.5. The TFA components of the Intensives ............................................................... 22 2.3.6. Ongoing study while teaching – Cohort 2 ............................................................ 23 2.3.7. Ongoing study while teaching – Cohort 1 ............................................................ 23 2.3.8. Perceived effectiveness of support prior to commencing teaching ...................... 23 2.3.9. Balancing ongoing teaching, ongoing study and personal life ............................. 25 2.4 Associate support ..................................................................................................... 25 2.4.1. Educational Adviser, Clinical Specialist and Training and Leadership Adviser . 27 2.4.2. In-school Mentor .................................................................................................. 28 2.4.3. Other school staff ................................................................................................. 30 2.4.4. Other Associates ................................................................................................... 30 2.5 Mentor selection and training .................................................................................. 30 2.6 Associates and their placement schools................................................................... 31 2.6.1. Induction............................................................................................................... 31 2.6.2. Current Teaching Context .................................................................................... 33 2.7 First year Associates in schools ............................................................................... 33 2.7.1. Student perceptions .............................................................................................. 33 2.7.2. Perceptions of Cohort 2 Associates as teachers ................................................... 34 2.7.3. Extracurricular involvement ................................................................................. 35 2.8 The experience of second year Associates .............................................................. 37 iii 2.8.1. Perceptions of Cohort 1 Associates as teachers ................................................... 37 2.8.2. Cohort 1 in leadership positions ........................................................................... 37 2.9 Professional efficacy and knowledge ...................................................................... 38 2.9.1. Associates‟ perceptions of their efficacy as teachers ........................................... 39 2.9.2. Associates‟ professional knowledge .................................................................... 41 2.10 Leadership coaches ............................................................................................... 42 2.11 The future .............................................................................................................. 43 2.11.1. Associates‟ plans for the future ........................................................................ 43 2.11.2. Program Partners‟ views of the future .............................................................. 46 2.12 The TFA Pathway in the ACT .............................................................................. 47 Part 3. Key questions and conclusions ................................................................................ 48 3.1 Ways to Improve Implementation of the Pathway .................................................. 48 3.1.1. Key factors influencing the achievement of objectives ........................................ 50 3.1.2. Barriers to national implementation ..................................................................... 51 3.2 The Impact and Outcomes of the Pathway .............................................................. 52 iv Tables Table 1.1: Features of the 'Teach for' programs in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom .................................................................................................................... 5 Table 1.2: Stakeholders interviewed by phone or face to face in 2010 and 2011 ................. 9 Table 1.3: Focus groups in 2010 and 2011 ............................................................................ 9 Table 1.4: Number of respondents 2010 and 2011 .............................................................
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